Elliptical trainer

ABSTRACT

An elliptical trainer includes a base and a movement unit. The base includes a stem formed thereon and two longitudinal bars, with each of the longitudinal bars comprising a track. The movement unit includes a sleeve supported on the stem, two bushing halves inserted in the sleeve, a shaft sandwiched between the bushing halves, two cranks connected to two opposite ends of the shaft, a first pedal including an end connected to one of the cranks, a second pedal including an end connected to the other crank, a first caster connected to an opposite end of the first pedal and movable to and fro along the track of the first longitudinal bar, and a second caster connected to an opposite end of the second pedal and movable to and fro along the track of the second longitudinal bar.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an exercise machine and, moreparticularly, to an elliptical trainer that occupies a small space andallows a long stroke of movement.

2. Related Prior Art

People have smaller space and less time for exercise than before sinceour life styles and environments are changing. Hence, there are variousexercise machines for different purposes and to different effects.Steppers are popular because they occupy small space and allow users toexercise their muscles in their legs and hips. A typical stepperincludes two pedals pivotally supported on a base. The pedals connectedto each other so that they are pivoted alternately in operation. A usersets his or her feet on the pedals and exercises his or her legs andhips by moving the pedals up and down. However, the typical stepperallows a short stroke of movement of the pedals and hence allows theuser to exercise his or her legs and hips to a small extent.

There is another stepper that allows a user to twist his or her waistwhile exercising his or her legs and hips. However, this stepper alsoallows a short stroke of movement of the pedals and hence allows theuser to exercise his or her legs and hips to a small extent.

An elliptical trainer, this stepper allows a long stroke of movement ofpedals and hence allows the user to exercise his or her legs and hips toa large extent. However, a typical elliptical trainer is bulky andinvolves a complicated structure that includes a large number ofcomponents. Obviously, the typical elliptical trainer is expensive. Ittakes a skilled mechanic to maintain the typical elliptical trainer.Hence, a typical elliptical trainer is often used in a gymnasium, andseldom used at home.

As discussed above, there is an unsatisfied need for an ellipticaltrainer that involves a simple structure and allows a long stroke ofmovement.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a structurallysimple elliptical trainer that can be manufactured easily at a low costand occupies small space in operation.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide anelliptical trainer that allows a long stroke of movement and henceallows a user to exercise to a large extent.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the elliptical trainer includes abase and a movement unit. The base includes a stem formed thereon andtwo longitudinal bars, with each of the longitudinal bars comprising atrack. The movement unit includes a sleeve supported on the stem, twobushing halves inserted in the sleeve, a shaft sandwiched between thebushing halves, two cranks connected to two opposite ends of the shaft,a first pedal including an end connected to one of the cranks, a secondpedal including an end connected to the other crank, a first casterconnected to an opposite end of the first pedal and movable to and froalong the track of the first longitudinal bar, and a second casterconnected to an opposite end of the second pedal and movable to and froalong the track of the second longitudinal bar.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of thepreferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elliptical trainer according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the elliptical trainer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial and cross-sectional view of theelliptical trainer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a user exercising with the ellipticaltrainer shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the elliptical trainer shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, an elliptical trainer includes a base(10) and a movement unit (20) supported on the base (10) according tothe preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The base (10) includes a first crossbar (11) and a second crossbar (12)extending parallel to the first crossbar (11). A pad (13) is connectedto each end of each of the first and second crossbars (11, 12).Preferably, each of the pads (13) is in the form of a cap (or “collar”)for wrapping the corresponding end of the corresponding crossbars (11,12). The pads (13) are used for anti-skid and cushioning purposes. Thefirst crossbar (11) is formed with a stem (14) extending upward from amiddle section thereof. The stem (14) is used to support the movementunit (20) in a manner to be described latter. Two longitudinal bars (16,17) are located between and connected to the first and second crossbars(11, 12). The first longitudinal bar (16) is located on a side of thestem (14), and the second longitudinal bar (17) is located on anopposite of the stem (14). Each of the first and second longitudinalbars (16, 17) is a bent element that includes a peak formed between twoslant sections. The first slant section of each of the first and secondlongitudinal bars (16, 17) is connected to the first crossbar (11). Thesecond slant section of each of the first and second longitudinal bars(16, 17) is connected to the second crossbar (12). The firstlongitudinal bar (16) includes a track (160) along the second slantsection thereof. The second longitudinal bar (17) includes a track (170)along the second slant section thereof. Preferably, the tracks (160,170) are grooves.

The movement unit (20) includes a sleeve (21) connected to an upper endof the stem (14) of the base (10). Two bushing halves (22) are insertedin the sleeve (21). The bushing halves (22) can be moved toward or awayfrom each other in operation. The bushing halves (22) together make abushing around a shaft (23), i.e., the shaft (23) is located between thebushing halves (22). A crank (24) extends from each end of the shaft(23). The cranks (24) and the shaft (23) together make a crankshaft.Each of the cranks (24) is made with a pedal-supporting section (240)extending parallel to the shaft (23). There is an adjusting unitincluding a knob (25) and a pressing plate (250). The knob (25) issupported on the sleeve (21). In detail, the knob (25) includes athreaded bolt (not numbered) inserted in a screw hole (not numbered)made in the sleeve (21). The threaded bolt of the knob (25) is adaptedfor contact with a side of a pressing plate (250) inserted in the sleeve(21). An opposite side of the pressing plate (250) is adapted forcontact with a selected one of the bushing halves (22). The knob (25) isrotatable relative to the sleeve (21) in a direction to abut thethreaded bolt thereof harder against the pressing plate (250), which inturn moves the selected bushing half (22) closer to the remainingbushing half (22). Thus, the bushing halves (22) clamps the shaft (23)harder to exert larger resistance against rotation of the shaft (23). Acover (210) is connected to each end of the sleeve (21). The covers(210) are adapted for protecting the bushing halves (22) and thepressing plate (250) inserted in the sleeve (21). A first caster (260)is connected to an end of the first pedal (26) located opposite toanother end of the first pedal (26) that is connected to thepedal-supporting section (240) of one of the cranks (24) extending froman end of the shaft (23). A second caster (270) is connected to an endof the second pedal (27) located opposite to another end of the secondpedal (27) that is connected to the pedal-supporting section (240) ofthe remaining crank (24) extending from the other end of the shaft (23).The first and second pedals casters (260, 270), which are respectivelyconnected to the first and second pedals (26, 27), are respectivelymovable to and fro in the tracks (160, 170) of the first and secondlongitudinal bars (16, 17) of the base (10).

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the operation of the elliptical trainer willbe described. A user puts her legs on the first and second pedals (26,27) of the movement unit (20), and steps down the first and secondpedals (26, 27) alternately. Thus, the user rotates the cranks (24),which are connected to the first and second pedals (26, 27). Hence, theuser rotates the shaft (23), which is connected to the cranks (24). Thecasters (260, 270), which are connected to front ends of the first andsecond pedals (26, 27), are movable to and fro along the tracks (160,170) of the first and second longitudinal bars (16, 17) of the base (10)while rear ends of the first and second pedals (26, 27) are rotated.Thus, the first and second pedals (26, 27) are moved in a substantiallyelliptical manner, not just a simple circular or rectilinear manner.Hence, the elliptical trainer allows the user to exercise her legs andhips to a relatively large extent while occupying small space.

Moreover, the user is allowed to operate the adjusting unit, whichincludes the knob (25) and the pressing plate (250), to change theextent to which the bushing halves (22) clamp the shaft (23), therebyadjusting the resistance against the movement of the first and secondpedals (26, 27) when the user exercise with the elliptical trainer.

The present invention has been described via the illustration of thepreferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variationsfrom the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limitthe scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

1. An elliptical trainer comprising: a base comprising: a stem formedthereon; a first longitudinal bar made with a track; and a secondlongitudinal bar made with a track; and a movement unit comprising: asleeve supported on the stem of the base; two bushing halves inserted inthe sleeve; a shaft sandwiched between the bushing halves; two cranksconnected to two opposite ends of the shaft; a first pedal comprising anend connected to one of the cranks; a second pedal comprising an endconnected to the remaining one of the cranks; a first caster connectedto an opposite end of the first pedal and movable to and fro along thetrack of the first longitudinal bar of the base; and a second casterconnected to an opposite end of the second pedal and movable to and froalong the track of the second longitudinal bar of the base.
 2. Theelliptical trainer according to claim 1, wherein the base furthercomprises a first crossbar and a second crossbar extending to the firstcrossbar, and the stem is supported on a middle portion of the firstcrossbar.
 3. The elliptical trainer according to claim 2, wherein thebase further comprises four pads, with each of the pads connected to acorresponding end of a corresponding one of the first and secondcrossbars.
 4. The elliptical trainer according to claim 1, wherein thefirst and second longitudinal bars are located on two opposite sides ofthe stem.
 5. The elliptical trainer according to claim 1, wherein thefirst and second longitudinal bars extend parallel to each other.
 6. Theelliptical trainer according to claim 1, wherein each of the first andsecond longitudinal bars comprises two slant sections and a peak formedbetween the slant sections.
 7. The elliptical trainer according to claim6, wherein the track of each of the first and second longitudinal barsextends along one of the slant sections.
 8. The elliptical traineraccording to claim 7, wherein the track of each of the first and secondlongitudinal bars is a groove.
 9. The elliptical trainer according toclaim 1, wherein the track of each of the first and second longitudinalbars is a groove.
 10. The elliptical trainer according to claim 1,wherein the movement unit further comprises an adjusting unit adaptedfor adjusting resistance against the rotation of the shaft.
 11. Theelliptical trainer according to claim 10, wherein the adjusting unitcomprises a knob rotatable to adjust a force exerted on the shaft by thebushing halves.
 12. The elliptical trainer according to claim 11,wherein the adjusting unit comprises a pressing plate formed with a sideadapted for contact with the knob and an opposite side adapted forcontact with one of the bushing halves.
 13. The elliptical traineraccording to claim 1, wherein the movement unit further comprises twocovers connected to two ends of the sleeve, thereby protecting at leastthe bushing halves and the shaft inserted in the sleeve.
 14. Theelliptical trainer according to claim 1, wherein each of the crankscomprises a pedal-supporting section extending parallel to the shaft,and each of the first and second pedals is connected to thepedal-supporting section of the corresponding crank.